The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1887-03-19
THE LEAK IN THE CHURCH OIL.

obLuT'luy alteTIlOOn nc WAS ScnU 10 tne
store for oil. His mother said:
"Go straight there, Johnnie. and
don't stop anywhere"
Johnnie promised, but on the way he
met Nicholas Barnes, called for short
"Nick." He was u new boy in town.
and had several times made great
deal of trouble for his folks. Johnnie
had promised not to have any thing to
do with Nick.
But Nick had met Johnnie few days
before. and offered him some candy
Johnnie took it, saying to himself:
'Nick is not so bad as some people
think"
This time Nick met him as if he had
been an old friend, asking, "Where
you going?'
"Store for OIL" replied Johnnie.
"All that for oil?' replied Nick.
"Yes."
"No change back9 Not red, John
niep"
mot red," answered Johnnie.
Nick thought moment, then he be-
gan to talk Of something different
"When we going to have some choco-
late crcamss"
JOhnnie's mouth xatercd, for he was
very fond Of that kind of confcction-
cry. He sighed rs he said: "Dun-no;
money is scarce down our way"
They were now nearing the church.
Let's sit down here on the Old
South steps and talk it over" said
Nick. "Let's see. treated on choco-
late last time, now its your turn"
Johnnie had not thoug!t of that
when he accepted half the contents OF
the candy bag! For the first time it
dawned upon him that Nick would ex-
pect him to return the compliment.
He said: II dunno when it'll be, Nick.
PAS sold one Of his horses cause he
| was short for money; he's going 10
make one do all the work. so l don't
think I'll get much spending money
this summer"
Suddenly queer look came owe,
Nick's face. He spoke quickly but in
| low tone.
"You just keep still minute, JON
ME, I'll tell you something"
He dashed away W thout giving any
information. Johnnie kept "still'
until he was tired of il; and was nbou,
starting for the store when Nick ap.
peared, very much excited.
johnnie" he said, 1--WE can have
some chocolates to-day"
L
"It came into my head Just now
when soc the old sexton going down
into the graveyard" said Nick. "He's
left the church open. the cellar doors
unlocked and there's n whole barrel OF
kerosene in there ~
As the plan flashed upon Johnnie's
mind, his face grew very rcd. Nick
did not seem to notice this and wen,
on:
Lets fill the can, who'll know the
differenceP l guess two quarts of oi
wont kill nobody"
Johnnie was greatly shocked, but be
fore he could speak Nick had disap
pearcd with the can. When he re
turned it was full. He passed it te
Johnnie, who shrank back.
~ can't take the oil Nick; it don
belong to me. It's stealing"
"Stcaling? Oh, no." said Nick
slowly. Now you look here, this OF
belongs to the parish, and your pa il
ono of them. So you see Il part of tn,
oil is his'n."
He stopped suddenly with look o
fright, the old sexton was returning
Evidently Nick thought his argumen
would not convince him, for he sai,
hurricdly:
at won't do for us to hang arount
here any longer; he'll know the who'll
thing. Let's hide the can and hav
some fun up town.
AS they went. Nick seeing that John
ME did not feel right about it said:
"The South Church folks are rich a
mud. An old fellcr died here once, ant
left them piles of money to run thing
with. So this oil don't come out q
them. 1t won't hurt them to give lis
little once in awhile, rs longs they go
n whole barrel. Ir the sexton don
lock Up the celia" I'm going to I'll
mothers cam"
BY this time the boys had arrived n
the store. Soon their pockets were full
of chocolates, Johnnie did not cnjo
them so much MS usual. hc began t.
feel sick. This was soon exp.ainc,
| away by the bad boy He said som
of tho oil on their hands hnd got OF
the candy; and he was feeling YER
much the same, which was some com
fort.
That night Johnnie was very i'll, an
tossed sleeplessly in his little bed
Somehow he did not want to call hi
mother, neither did he feel like sayin
his prayers. He was not alarmed a
his sickness, for what Nick had sal
nbout the oil seemed reasonable. Oftc
he turned his pillow and closed his eyes
saying;
"Of course, every body knows kcrc
scne oil and chocolate creams won
mix!"
But this did not appease his stomac
o. his conscience. and give sleep. II